A Little Shove
by and-im-feelin-good
Summary: Puck and Rachel have been dancing around one another for a while.  Maybe they need a little shove.


**A/N: **** This fluff/smutty one-shot demanded to be written. Expect an update for "Mardi Gras Fling" this week as well. Also Happy Birthday Chelle!**

**M - for language and smut.**

As the cab made its way up Trudy Lichter's long curving driveway Rachel wished that the woman she'd grown so close to over the past five years was going to be staying with her this week. Rachel had known Trudy from temple since she was a kid, but the two of them became especially close when they were both going through some difficult times. Shelby had just disappeared after Rachel had only barely met her. Around the same time poor George Lichter had passed unexpectedly. Rachel wandered into the temple one afternoon where Mrs. Lichter was crying alone, and they ended up crying together. They were both mourning their own type of loss and they leaned on one another for several months after that. People who aren't in pain can tell you they're so sorry, but it's not the same as having someone to just hurt with you. The experience bonded them, and they'd been like family ever since. Rachel was about to spend a week in Trudy's huge, beautiful, secluded home on the outskirts of Lima, and she was a little sad she wouldn't get to use the time to catch up with her old friend and surrogate mother. But the widow had survived, mourning was over, and she was about to leave on a much anticipated cruise.

Rachel was coming home from New York to house sit. She had persuaded Rachel that she didn't trust just anyone to take proper care of the place. Also, her little dog, Mr. Fritz, was quite particular about people. It wasn't really that much trouble. Rachel had just finished finals and summer classes didn't start for almost a month. This would be a much needed break and Trudy's house was a perfect place to get some down time. She hadn't told a soul she was coming, and although she might change her mind a couple of days in, she had every intention of spending her week as a pampered hermit. She needed some time alone after a very stressful semester. If she were being honest she might also be avoiding someone just a little bit. After "the spring break incident" she wasn't sure if she was ready to see him or to answer any of the questions she'd been forcing to the back of her mind.

Rachel shook off her thoughts when the cab stopped in front of the stone walkway that lead to Trudy's front door. Before Rachel could even exit the cab the energetic woman had rushed from the house, pulled the cab door open, and was tugging Rachel into a hug.

"My beautiful girl! I've missed you so much!" The older woman squeezed her tight, grinning from ear to ear.

"It's only been a few months," Rachel insisted, blushing at the attention. Rachel loved the way Mrs. Lichter doted on her. She'd never had that growing up, not from a woman anyway. They each grabbed one of her bags and headed toward the house.

"We have to catch up in record time. School is good? Still love New York?" Trudy rattled on without waiting for answers. "Still haven't found a worthy young man I assume, since I _know_ you'd call me right away if you had."

Rachel ignored the first two questions, focusing on the last. "You know I keep very busy. The last thing I need is some boy distracting me from my goals. I learned that lesson a_ long_ time ago." Rachel pursed her lips in an expression that implied that the subject was closed, but Trudy was oblivious.

"Psssh. That was the wrong boy, clearly _not_ a worthy young man. You just need to find the right one - one who would follow you to the moon, cheering you on."

Rachel quickened her pace a bit, hoping the subject was dropped. It wasn't nearly as simple as all that. Trudy seemed to think that men were just lining up for the chance to be with her, but she knew she wasn't an easy girl to be with. She was stubborn and driven and even more single minded since leaving Ohio. For her relationships always meant choosing: the man or the destiny. She'd made her choice and she was fine with it . . . mostly.

As they entered the enormous foyer Rachel's was reminded again how glad she was to be here. It was a bit opulent for her taste, but it was very Trudy. There was a staircase curving down to meet them on the right with a polished banister and a strip of red carpet up the center. To the left was a shiny black baby grand piano. She loved that piano. She could only play a little, but it reminded her of Noah pressed against her side on the bench, filling the house with music. Mrs. Puckerman had been close to the Lichters for years, and would often visit when Rachel was in town. For a while now Noah had been coming with her, which made for interesting times. The two older ladies were about as subtle as a sledge hammer when it came to Puck and Rachel, but they both took it in good humor. Their hearts were in the right place, and under different circumstances, who knows? She was certainly very fond of Noah, but their lives were just too different. This life, here in Lima, was his life, but it was not the life she'd chosen. It was nice to visit though. She had good times here. She liked it here.

"I wish I could've come yesterday so we would've had some time before you leave, but my Professor was very suborn about allowing me to take the final early," Rachel pouted. The schedule for the day was tight, but it was the best they could manage. Trudy had already loaded her car and would have only a few minutes before she had to leave to meet her friends if they wanted to make it to the airport on time.

"Hush! I'm just so glad you went to the trouble of coming all the way home to humor an old lady and her little dog."

"Don't be silly Trudy! You know I'd do anything for you and Mr. Fritz." As if on cue the over-sized cotton ball came running into the foyer and began yipping and bouncing around Rachel. She bent down to scratch his ears, but Trudy scooped him up.

"You look exhausted. I insist that you take a nap. I'll put him in his doggy pen then I'll help you get your things up to my room. After that I've really go to run." And with that she whisked Mr. Fritz away.

Rachel grabbed her bags and started up the stairs. She really didn't need help. It was only two bags. As she reached the master suite Trudy caught up with her, grabbed one of her bags, and looped her arm with Rachel's to drag her into the room.

"Last time you were here the bathroom remodel was just getting started, wasn't it? I'm so happy with the way it turned out. Noah does beautiful work you know." Subtle, as usual. "You absolutely must try out my new shower before your nap. The stone is stunning, and it has all these jets and buttons and things. I don't know how to work half of it, but it's just gorgeous and so relaxing. I insist!" Aside from being subtle, Mrs. Lichter also had a tendency to insist. A lot. Her stubbornness rivaled Rachel's, so in the little things Rachel had learned to just go along with her. She grabbed her smaller bag and began retrieving toiletries. After spending hours traveling, shower sounded nice anyway.

OO

If Trudy hadn't been paying him well Puck would have left as soon as he'd arrived. There was nothing _real_ wrong with this toilet, but the inner workings had been dismantled. The flapper, the chain, all the tubes - they were disconnected from one another. Clearly these things do not just come apart on their own. Trudy claimed she had tried to fix it herself, and that's how everything came apart. He didn't buy it. The woman was acting strange. His mom too. Before he woke up she'd taken his truck to Burt's because she wanted to get that little crack in his windshield fixed for him. He'd been ignoring it for months, but his mom suddenly decided it was important. She said something about needing to fix her mistakes this week, which he thought was ridiculous since she didn't owe him another damn thing. He loved his mom and knew she'd always done absolutely everything she could for him and Becca. She was still putting up with him living in her house, three years after high school, so he could save his money. As moms go she was the shit, and if he'd ever lacked anything it sure a hell wasn't her fault.

Anyway, when Trudy called about her toilet and he didn't have his truck, his mom had driven him all the way out to her house but didn't stay to visit. She said to call her when he was done. Fuckin' strange. He chose to ignore it since Trudy _did_ pay well and he could always use money. He'd just put on his headphones, turned up the music, and start putting the damn thing back together. The room was small and awkward to work in, holding only the toilet and a small sink. Trudy thought that the windows to the left and right of the sink - one of which looked on out on the yard while the other looked into the main part of the bathroom - kept it from feeling like a closet. She was wrong. He worked as quickly as he could, anxious to visit the piano downstairs and then get out side, maybe go to the lake.

Once the toilet was working again he put his tools away and started gathering his stuff, but when he removed his headphones he noticed something. He could hear the shower running in the adjacent bath area. _What the fuck!_ He really, really wanted to get out of there, but there was no way he was going through that bathroom if Trudy was taking a shower. The glass wasn't all that frosted and . . . he shuddered and squeezed his eyes shut against the images. He was trapped. Did she forget he was fixing the toilet? Dear God please let it be that she forgot! With all the odd behavior today he didn't know what to think. It wasn't like Trudy to forget anything, but it was the only explanation he was willing to entertain.

Anyway, for now it was clear that he'd better make himself comfortable. He was about to plant himself on the counter next to sink to wait it out, then he remembered the windows. Crap. He was leaning against the wall and waiting, wishing he'd left when he'd wanted to, when the quiet sound of singing mixed with the sounds of the shower and knocked the wind out of him. It sounded like Rachel. It couldn't be; it didn't make any sense. Rachel was in New York. He knew that his mind was playing tricks on him. It wasn't the first time he thought he'd seen her or heard her only to find out he was mistaken.

He thought about her a lot, to be honest. Since the brief time they dated sophomore year, she'd taken up residence in his fantasies. He blamed it on the fact that she was so sexy and surprisingly enthusiastic. In hind sight it wasn't all that surprising. He'd never seen the girl give anything a half-hearted attempt. Anyway, it was no wonder he found it hard to forget. He knew how perfect her round behind felt in his hands, even if it was through her skirt, and how she'd groan into his mouth when he gave it a squeeze. As relatively innocent as their relationship had been, he'd gotten off to memories of that week countless times. His imagination did a kick ass job of filling in the details.

Even though she'd moved away he still saw her often enough to keep her floating around in his mind. Over the past three years he'd been surprised at how often she came back to Lima. He figured once she got out she'd be gone for good, but even though she was still all about New York and Broadway, she always found a way to come three or four times a year to visit her dads and to see Trudy. Between his mother and Trudy they made sure he always saw her when she was in town. They were downright pushy about it, and it would have been annoying if he didn't kinda _really_ want to see her anyway. He and Rachel never stopped being friends after high school, if anything they were closer now. She'd send him excessively long emails about being rightfully chosen for the solo despite the efforts of "Haley the harlot" clearly throwing herself at the choir director, or how she'd found this delightful little coffee shop with an amazing vegan spinach wrap, right on the way to campus. His replies were much shorter, but hey, at least he read all (most) of that shit, right? Yes, they were friends, but every time he saw her he became less satisfied with that label. The more life he lived and the more girls he met, the more he knew Rachel was really something special. Eventually some New York douchebag was going to figure that out.

He was pretty sure he wasn't alone in his feeling. The heated glances and flirtatious teasing had crossed the line of friendliness long ago. They'd been dancing around one another for a while, and then there was spring break. His fantasies about her had become more vivid and persistent since then. He'd teased her about how pathetic it was to spend her spring break in Ohio, but he was totally glad she came. They had so much fun bowling with her dads (not as lame as it sounds) and dragging his mom and Trudy to karaoke night (Trudy is a lightweight with a secret love for Louis Armstrong). Then everything shifted. The last night of her visit they somehow ended up alone at his house watching a movie. They were arguing about something stupid, then he was holding her down and tickling her, and then it was all teeth and tongues and frenzied hands. His shirt was off. Her shirt was pushed up around her underarms and he had one hand inside her shorts rubbing her through her damp panties when headlights flooded the living room from the driveway. He could have_ killed _his mother. Rachel straightened herself as quickly as possible, stammered an awkward goodbye to both of them, and pretty much bolted. She left town early the next morning and had skillfully avoided the subject when he'd called her later. _Shit!_ He still needed to talk to her.

OO

As she neared the end of the driveway Trudy pulled out her phone and dialed Naomi Puckerman.

"Well, how did it go?" Naomi demanded excitedly, forgoing greetings all together.

"Perfect. Better than I could have hoped."

"So they didn't run into one another before you left? We are brilliant! This has to work. Stranded with no transportation and you'll be gone before they ever realize! I promise to stay _far away_ this time."

"You'll never guess the stroke of genius that hit me at the last minute. Something to move things along, you could say." Trudy's laugh was full of mischief and it made Naomi just a little nervous.

"Trudy? What did you do?"

"Nothing much, really. I just encouraged Rachel to try out my wonderful new shower. Right away," she replied innocently.

"And Noah is_ in there_ I assume? Trudy! You were supposed to leave them alone together, not get Rachel naked and throw her at him!"

Trudy shrugged dismissively, even though no one could see her. "Don't be naive Mimi. Your son is no innocent. What do you think was about to happen when you walked in on them?"

"But Trudy, what about Rachel? The girl deserves some warning, maybe a little bit of say in the matter! We were giving them a nudge. That's not a nudge!"

"We've nudged, we've nudged, and we've nudged. They don't need a nudge. They need a shove. Trust me. Rachel will get over it. Noah's a sweet boy, and you know he's crazy about Rachel. He'll take good care of her . . . over and over I hope." Trudy added the last bit just because she loved getting a rise out of her sometimes too innocent friend.

Naomi gasped and squeezed her eyes shut, as if that would help. "Good heavens Trudy! I did _not_ need to hear that. A mother has a right to be naive about her child's . . . activities." She sighed and rubbed her temple with her fingers, worried that this plan would blow up in their faces. "I just hope you know what you're doing."

"Trust me," Trudy reiterated.

OO

Puck realized that the water had stopped and he didn't hear any movement in the bathroom. He wondered if the coast was clear and tentatively cracked the door to peek out. The shower was empty so he opened it just a little further to look down the length of the bathroom toward the bay window at the far end. The sight that greeted him there left him frozen for a moment as his mouth went dry and his breathing all but stopped. He wasn't crazy. It was Rachel. Not only was Rachel _not_ in New York, she was right there, stark naked, leaning low over the bench at the end of the room. _Holy Shit! _ She was peering out the window and wet strands of her hair were clinging to her back as the sun caught the little drops of water trailing down her body. She was so fucking beautiful. She was kind of crouching like she was worried about being seen out the window which left her perfect little ass poking right out at him. _Fuck!_ He'd imagined her ass (and quite frankly every inch of her) over the years, but honestly his imagination hadn't done her justice. What he could see of her body from this angle was smooth and tight. Not to dwell on the subject, but her ass was like this perfect round fruit and he was dying to take a bite, you know, figuratively or whatever.

The sound of a car pulling down the driveway jolted him from his stupor and he quietly shut the door before blowing out a long slow breath. He wasn't sure what to do now. It was a very strange situation (which he was fairly certain was not an accident, by the way). He was already hard, obviously, and his entire body was screaming for him to just go get her, but he had a feeling that might freak her out a little bit. He leaned against the wall for a moment weighing his options before he heard her moving around the bathroom again. She must have been watching for Trudy to leave. He listened to her rummaging around for a few minutes as he imagined her wet and naked on the other side of the wall. Trudy and Mom - it all made sense now. Even the comment about fixing mistakes. He thought she was being all philosophical about his childhood or some shit. Nope. She was talking about walking in when he and Rachel were heading down the on ramp. That shit admittedly needed fixing.

Suddenly the room was flooded with some kind of smooth bluesy music and he heard the shower start again. This music was sexy, and he realized immediately why she'd been watching for Trudy's car to go. He groaned and let his head fall back against the wall. His heart was thundering in his ears and his fists clenched and unclenched over and over as he imagined what was going on in the next room. Then he remembered the window and he was powerless to stay away. He moved to the side of the window and leaned just enough to see the glass shower across from him. Just like that he was looking at every glorious inch of Rachel Berry's wet naked body. His erection throbbed almost painfully while his hands twitched with need reach out and touch her.

She was standing with her side to him, her body pointed toward the shower just beyond the spray. Her eyes had drifted closed and her head rolled back and forth as her hips swayed slowly to the music. His eyes tracked the movement of the sudsy sponge in her hand as it skimmed along her collar bone and across her chest before sliding down to brush over her nipple. Fuck! He really wanted to be that sponge, to slide his hands over every part of her till she was trembling with need. He watched her other hand slide over her abdomen and down the front of her thigh before kneading its way back up again, then she stepped forward into water. She continued to sway but opened her eyes to adjust the jets. Widening her stance slightly, she pointed the lowest stream directly at her slit, then closed her eyes and began gliding her hands over her soapy skin again. Her hips were rocking almost imperceptibly and her palms were moving in slow circles over her breasts.

The scene was too much, and Puck's flexed his jaw as hand found its way into his shorts. Just as he started slowly stroking up and down his length the reality of what he was doing hit him. He growled in frustration. As much as he wanted to watch her make herself come (a lot for the record) he was not a creepy, Jacob Ben Israel motherfucker who jerked off while peeping through a window. Not kosher. Since there was no way he was looking away, he really only saw one option. He had to go in there and hope she didn't completely freak.

Puck grudgingly moved away from the window, squared his shoulders, and pushed the door open. With the music and the sound of the shower Rachel didn't hear him or notice as he walked into the room, so he stepped forward and tapped on the glass. She jumped and her eyes flew open as let out a loud yelp. She dropped the sponge and hugged her arms to her chest, staring at him with wide eyes. He wanted to explain, afraid she'd start screaming at him or something. He cracked the shower door so she could hear him and the words started tumbling out of his mouth.

"Rachel, I swear to God I didn't know you were gonna be here. Trudy called me to fix her toilet, which is where I was, in there, fixing the toilet - which I think she broke on purpose, by the way - and then when I was done the shower was running, and I was kinda trapped. I thought it was Trudy, but then I figured out it wasn't, and I didn't want to just hide in there, so . . ."

His words ended with a sudden exhale, and his eyes moved over her glistening form before returning to her face. Maybe this was the part where he should go, but fuck that! He was alone with one very naked Rachel Berry, and there was no way in hell he was leaving unless she fuckin' told him to. Rachel continued to stare at him, silent and unmoving, and it kinda freaked him out since she pretty much always had something to say.

"Rachel?" he asked, waving his hand back and forth in front of her, "Say something."

She swallowed thickly and blinked a couple of times before bending down to retrieve her sponge, watching him the whole time. Standing back up she pushed the shower door open a bit more and extended the sponge to him before whispering hoarsely "Can you get my back?"

That was all the invitation he needed. He shed his clothes as quickly as humanly possible and stepped into the glass enclosure. Rachel was still wearing that slightly stunned expression, remembering vaguely, in the very back of her mind, that there were reasons this was a bad idea. As she drank in his chiseled form for the first time she couldn't remember what they were. She'd seen him without a shirt, of course, but she certainly never seen _all_ of him before. Seeing him this way ignited the spark already burning within her, and suddenly the shower seemed warmer and smaller than before. She'd been thinking of him as the water had caressed her body. Thinking about the last time she saw him. Thinking about his touch, how it would feel. She couldn't believe he was here, as if she'd conjured him with her mind.

He moved closer to rest his hand on her shoulder, making small circles with his thumb. "Turn around," he rasped, pulling her gently. "Your back."

Once she was turned around he moved his large hand to her hip and began using the other hand to make circles down her spine with the sponge. He only made a few strokes before he dropped the sponge and began using both hands to knead her shoulders and then down her back. As he worked her flesh she let out a quiet hum of appreciation. His hands slid down to cover her bottom, squeezing gently, before moving around, using his fingers to trace her hip bones. As he began working his way up her abdomen she leaned back into his hard chest and moaned softly. It was probably the sexiest sound he'd ever heard and he responded with a low groan, pulling her more tightly against him. She could feel his erection against the small of her back and his breath on her neck. When his hands cupped her breasts and he began rolling her nipples between his fingers she moaned louder and reached behind her to grip his thighs. He turned his head so his mouth was brushing against her ear and whispered, "Do you like that baby? Do you like it when I touch you?"

"Mmmmmmmmm. Yes, Noah. Your hands feel so good."

"You are so fucking sexy. I've imagined this you know, naked, pressed up against you, feeling you tremble, watching you fly apart. Have you ever thought about it?"

She whimpered in response and he took it as confirmation. "When?" he growled in her ear, "How long?"

His hands hadn't stopped teasing her and she was finding it hard to concentrate.

"When?" he repeated.

"Ahhh. Just now. mmmmm. Before you were here."

He inhaled sharply through his nose and gripped her a little tighter, nudging her forward into the water with his thighs. "Were you gonna pretend it was me getting you off? With my hands? My tongue? Did you wish I was here to fuck you in this shower?"

"Oh God!" Rachel gasped as a flush spread from her face down her chest. He was afraid for a second that he'd crossed the line, but then she turned her face to capture his mouth harshly. She tugged his bottom lip with her teeth before thrusting her tongue into his mouth. He responded immediately, kissing her fiercely and sliding one hand down her torso to press against her mound. He circled three fingers firmly against her, and even with water spraying everywhere he could feel her wetness on his fingers. He released her mouth and began nipping and kissing along her neck and jaw. When he reached her ear again he nudged her forward a bit more and breathed, "Show me."

He felt her body tense against him and he moved his hands back to rubbing her shoulders while continuing to brush soft kisses along her neck. He murmured softly in her ear, "It's just me Rach. You don't need to be nervous baby. You're amazing and beautiful. Knowing you think of me like that, that you fantasize about me, fuck! It's the hottest fucking thing ever. I just wanna be part of it."

He slid his hands down her arms lacing their fingers together and wrapped both sets of arms around her waist before kissing her slow deeply. His sudden tenderness caught her off guard and made her heart swell. She trusted him. When he pulled back from the kiss and rested his forehead on the side of her face she nodded slightly and twisted her head around to look at him. His eyes were dark with desire but a playful smirk was tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"OK?"

She nodded again and kissed him once more quickly before moving the last few inches to line up with the jets. Puck moved with her, staying tightly pressed against her back, and hands resumed their task of exploring her curves. As the steady pressure of the water, along with Puck's skillful touch set her nerves ablaze, she found herself grasping for any part of him she could reach. She gripped his thigh with her left hand while her right reached the back of his neck. She tipped her head back exposing more of her neck and pulled his head down to her. He bit down softly on her neck before swirling his tongue over the same spot and then running it up toward her jaw. His hands had returned to her breasts and were twisting and flicking. It was all just so much.

"Oh God, Noah. I can't . . . so, so, ahhhhh" she whined. Although she could not articulate what she needed, he knew, as she writhed against him, that she was hanging on the very edge of ecstasy and needed him to push her over. As he continued to tug and twist her nipple with one hand he slid the other down her body. With his first two fingers he parted her folds, exposing her clit fully to the powerful stream of water. She arched forcefully against him and wailed incoherently, but he held her in place. Her head thrashed from side to side against his shoulder and her whole body trembled until she snapped and began to convulse violently in his arms. He held her up, watching her, mesmerized and consumed with desire.

As soon as the tremors subsided he turned her around and crashed his mouth to hers, pulling her body forcefully against him. He kissed her face, her ear, her neck, as she clung to him, still unable to trust her legs.

"I want you so fucking bad," he growled sliding his hands to her ass to grind against her.

She whimpered against his chest. "I want you too, Noah. So much."

He moved, almost carrying her, to the built in stone bench in the back corner of the shower. He sat down pulling her into his lap, straddling his thighs, but moved almost immediately to get back up.

"I'll be right back. Don't move. Just . . . I'll be back."

Rachel blinked at him in confusion. "Where are you going?"

"Condom. I really hope I have one in my wallet cause my mom hijacked my truck."

"Wait. Don't go." Rachel tugged at his arm till he looked at her. "I'm on the pill Noah. I know you're careful, just come back."

He hesitated for the briefest moment. He didn't have sex without a condom. Not since he was sixteen. Ever. But he trusted her. She was the very definition of responsible. He also lo . . . cared about her a lot, and she was offering herself to him completely, with no barriers. A fresh wave of desire swept over him and he pulled her from the bench, sitting down and positioning her on top of him in one quick movement. She squeaked in surprise but quickly recovered, rotating her hips against him and sucking his earlobe into her mouth. He groaned at the contact gripping her hips and rubbing his erection up and down against her.

"You ready?" he asked, reaching between them to position himself at her entrance.

Rather than answer she pushed herself down as far as she could, taking him into her warm tight center. They both moaned and Rachel began to rock against him. He grabbed her hips firmly to still her and she huffed in frustration.

"Gimme a second baby," He ground out. "You're so fucking tight, and no condom. Fuck!" He kissed her slowly for a minute before releasing his grip and rocking his pelvis toward her. She lifted up on her knees till he was barely inside her quickly pushed back down.

"You feel so good," she moaned as she repeated the movement again and again. He was meeting her each time, thrusting up into her with a grunt. He'd been hard for a long time at this point, and he wasn't sure how long this was going to last. Thankfully it seemed to be building quickly for her too. He bent his head to capture a nipple and suck it into his mouth while his hand slid down her abdomen so he could find her clit with his thumb. The combined sensations caused her to cry out. He rubbed furiously, eager to push her along, as he felt his orgasm looming.

"Come on baby, let go," he coaxed brokenly, his breath coming in short puffs. "You're so sexy baby, just let go for me."

His rhythm became erratic and he felt himself slipping over the edge just before she cried out, "Noaaaah, ah, ah, ah," and they both exploded into wave after of wave of ecstatic tingling light. He clutched her to him, burying his face in her neck breathing her name over and over. As they regained control of their bodies they stayed there clinging to one another for a while, drinking in the sounds of rapid breathing and water splashing off stone and soft sexy music. It felt right.

OO

After the shower they moved to the bed, exhausted, but the nap they had intended was quickly forgotten as they once again got lost in one another. It was slower and sweeter and when they were both spent, their bodies again humming with contentment, he settled in beside her to finally take that nap. She turned to face him, tangling their legs together, and reached out to run her thumb along the line of his jaw. All the things she'd forgotten under his touch, the reasons, the concerns, started to creep back in just a little. "This was probably a bad idea," she hummed, snuggling closer to him, her actions and her words in sharp contrast. "There are reasons this is a bad idea," she murmured, almost to herself, before glancing back up at him. "I guess I just don't care right now."

He knew she was worried, but he honestly wasn't. "Bullshit," he answered, in a tone as soft and gentle as hers, his fingers making circles in the small of her back. "It's an awesome idea. Do you have any idea how long I've wanted you?"

She smirked at him, studying his face. "Well you've never made it much of a secret that you find me attractive."

He smirked back, but went on to clarify. "That's not what I mean. I didn't say do you know how long I've wanted to _fuck_ you. We both know that started around the time I learned how this worked," he answered, grinding his pelvis against her. "I asked if you know how long I've wanted_ you_. I'm not even sure _I _know the answer to that one, 'cause it took me a while to figure shit out," he paused a moment then finished softly, "but I think it may go back even further."

They held one another's gaze for a few seconds as she processed his words. Her chest felt tight and she thought she might break. As much as she loved hearing his words, she felt like she was being asked to choose and she hated it. _This_ is why they shouldn't have crossed the line. She remembered clearly now. Finally he looked away. The silence hung uncomfortably in the air until Rachel finally whispered "I want you too, I do Noah, but New York, Broadway. It's not going to be easy, and I can't have anything tempting me to give up, to come back home, and if anyone could tempt me . . ."

He rose up on his elbow to look at her again, his face serious and intense, but he continued to speak in the same low gentle voice, brushing his thumb up and down her arm. "Rachel you are talented and beautiful and so special. You belong on Broadway. You think I'd be asshole enough to ask you to give that up? Just because Hudson was too much of an idiot to follow you doesn't mean no one would, so stop thinking it has to be one or the other. It doesn't." He watched for a moment, trying to be sure she understood what he was saying. "I've lived with my mom for _three fucking years_ when I could've moved out. I've saved every penny to get out of this shit-hole town. I learned to _do_ something, something I can do anywhere!" Her mouth was slightly open and her brow was furrowed as if she were struggling to understand his words, but he could see the hope beginning to dance in her eyes. He allowed the slightest smile to break through before adding, "I know it's a long way away, but I'm pretty sure they have granite and marble in New York, plus, you know, they have you, so don't use that as some bullshit reason we can't be together. If you don't want to be with me, just say you don't want to be with me." He brushed his nose against hers and added, "I won't believe you by the way."

She lifted her chin to kiss him soundly before grinning up at him. "Then I guess I have no choice."

"Nope, none at all," he agreed, settling back into the bed and pulling her close.

She relaxed into his embrace, and there, cocooned by his large frame, she allowed the happiness to sink into her bones. She let out a contented sigh before asking, "You're really moving to New York? For me?"

"Without a second thought. Now sleep baby. We'll sort everything out tomorrow."


End file.
